Cushion The Landscape, Public Drawing Day, The Cube 10/10/11

Why "Cushion The Landscape" you might be tempted to ask, as you can see from the photo above, much has changed in the town centre and spaces are still in the process of being transformed. Change is tricky, sometimes uncomfortable or challenging, in most cases the changes have been welcome ones, young and old are justifiably proud of the renewal that is taking place. Corby was one of the original New Towns but many of its buildings were showing their age. You can see a great selection of old photographs of the town  in Francis Frith Collection and this website gives a snapshot of the town's history http://www.corby.me.uk/. For more wonderful archive photographs of Corby we'd like to recommend a trip to the Our Corby Website

Some of the drawing / making days have taken place in the Chamber Foyer in the Cube. It's a space where people come for meetings, to register births, get married. It is a public space, a business space, a large, open space with airy views at one end and double doors which will lead out onto the Roof Garden in the future. Because of it's many functions it also has a selection of seating, chunky, low sofas in turquoise and brown.

When we came to view the spaces we thought it would be interesting to create a set of artworks which were also cushions, that could be displayed and enjoyed by the visiting public. Once again we thought it would be good to add a touch of temporary softness to the environment, an intervention that would remind people of their homes, of conversations with friends or family, of warmth and comfort.

Sonia Hawes, a member of Back To Books who took part in the Invisible Threads project came across the county from Eydon to take part in New Vistas. She hadn't been to Corby for many years and was delighted with the space inside The Cube and all the developments taking place in the town. 

Sonia is no stranger to the pleasures of drawing and soon became engrossed by the patterns made by the cubes and rectangles evident on the older buildings above.

Sonia managed to find a piece of 1960's
Foale & Tuffin fabric to incorporate in
her textile piece.

Kate Dyer was intrigued by the patterns created

 by the new paving on the walkways above.

Whilst Meriel White took the new Swimming Pool 

as seen through the Cube's windows 

as the basis for her cushion front.



Jennifer Helliwell was also inspired

by the Swimming Pool and Ann's information about
the reason for the choice of paving leading from the pool.

Ros Stoddart opted for a minimal palette 

of black and greys, 

basing her design on 

a view from walkway 

up to the Roof Garden.

 

 Lisa Wilkinson was inspired by borders
and planting schemes seen from the windows

Ann Leonard took the canopy suspended above a section
of Willow Place Shopping Centre as her  

 inspiration and it wasn't long before she had made 

her choice of materials 

and had begun hand stitching

Maureen Walvin's family came from Scotland, Maureen grew up in Corby,  married a Corby lad and worked in the Reprographics Department of Tresham College until retirement, she also worked as a Part Time Youth Worker in Corby for many years. The picture above shows where The Willows Arts Centre had been and looks onto to the remains of the Corby Tresham College buildings. She wanted to make a piece which would serve as a reminder of a building which held so many memories for her.

Maureen and Lorraine discussing design ideas.

Fabric pinned and stitching underway.

Shula Hawes was captivated by the building below which was The Strathclyde Hotel c1960.

Here's a link to a film clip showing it as a hotel in 1980. The writer Jill McGowan used the Strathclyde Hotel (aka The Derbyshire Hotel) as a setting in her books A Perfect Match, A Shred of Evidence and Births, Deaths and Marriages. Today it is called Grosvenor House and formerly housed Council Offices.

Shula sewing her interpretation of Grosvenor House in the Core. Her completed cushion cover seen below cleverly incorporates vintage 60's / 70's floral fabric.

The Financial Times said that Corby's belief that the arts can help regenerate a town was demonstrated by the opening of the Core, the multi-use cultural centre housed within the Cube. We are so proud to have been given an opportunity to share these new spaces with the wider community through drawing and making.

Sarah Stringer

Was inspired by the Lamposts and the Glassball panels

Sewing in the Chamber Foyer may have made the space look a little strange and untidy for a while but we'd like to say a huge Thank You for giving us the space to host a hugely enjoyable and productive day!